NIST SP 800-53 SI-3(10) Malicious Code Analysis

Requirements NIST SOURCE

Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)

The use of malicious code analysis tools provides organizations with a more in-depth understanding of adversary tradecraft (i.e., tactics, techniques, and procedures) and the functionality and purpose of specific instances of malicious code. Understanding the characteristics of malicious code facilitates effective organizational responses to current and future threats. Organizations can conduct malicious code analyses by employing reverse engineering techniques or by monitoring the behavior of executing code.

Implementation Guidance

Engineering Interpretation

Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.

No engineering interpretation has been authored for SI-3(10) yet. This section is architected to receive it — see the Requirements and Assessment sections above for the authoritative NIST source content in the meantime.

Assessment

NIST SP 800-53A REV 5.2.0

Assessment Objectives

tools and techniques to be employed to analyze the characteristics and behavior of malicious code are defined;
<SI-03(10)_ODP tools and techniques> are employed to analyze the characteristics and behavior of malicious code;
the results from malicious code analysis are incorporated into organizational incident response processes;
the results from malicious code analysis are incorporated into organizational flaw remediation processes.

Examine

[SELECT FROM: System and information integrity policy; system and information integrity procedures; procedures addressing malicious code protection; procedures addressing incident response; procedures addressing flaw remediation; system design documentation; malicious code protection mechanisms, tools, and techniques; system configuration settings and associated documentation; results from malicious code analyses; records of flaw remediation events resulting from malicious code analyses; system audit records; system security plan; other relevant documents or records].

Interview

[SELECT FROM: System/network administrators; organizational personnel with information security responsibilities; organizational personnel installing, configuring, and/or maintaining the system; organizational personnel responsible for malicious code protection; organizational personnel responsible for flaw remediation; organizational personnel responsible for incident response/management].

Test

[SELECT FROM: Organizational process for incident response; organizational process for flaw remediation; mechanisms supporting and/or implementing malicious code protection capabilities; tools and techniques for the analysis of malicious code characteristics and behavior].

Overlays

Showing the OT/ICS overlay for the parent control SI-3 — see the SI-3(10) entries within each baseline below.

OT/ICS Overlay SP 800-82r3

NIST SP 800-82r3 Appendix F, Table 22. Blank baseline means the control/control enhancement is not selected in that initial OT baseline.

LOW

Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)

MODERATE

Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)

HIGH

Base control: Included (matches standard baseline)

STIGs & CCIs

No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for SI-3(10). This section is architected to display, per product: STIG ID, Finding ID, Severity, Title, Description, Check, Fix, CCI, and NIST control mapping — but nothing is populated here until a real DISA STIG/CCI dataset is ingested.

Learn more about STIG/CCI integration →

Evidence

Potential Evidence — Derived

Categorized from the SP 800-53A "Examine"/"Test" artifact list above by keyword — not an authoritative NIST evidence list.

Policy

System and information integrity policy
system security plan

Configuration

system design documentation
system configuration settings and associated documentation

Testing

Organizational process for incident response
organizational process for flaw remediation
mechanisms supporting and/or implementing malicious code protection capabilities
tools and techniques for the analysis of malicious code characteristics and behavior

Other Records

system and information integrity procedures
procedures addressing malicious code protection
procedures addressing incident response
procedures addressing flaw remediation
malicious code protection mechanisms, tools, and techniques
results from malicious code analyses
records of flaw remediation events resulting from malicious code analyses
system audit records
other relevant documents or records